In the womb, babies are warm, snug, and never alone. It only makes sense that they would prefer the same type of environment after they're born.
Baby-wearing is a practice that allows parents to hold their babies close while keeping both arms free to get their grown-up tasks done at the same time. Not only does it involve “wearing” baby in a soft carrier, but it also requires a shift in mindset about baby care. Rather than picking up the baby to soothe, change, or feed, just to be put down again, baby-wearing means the baby spends the majority of her time close to the caregiver's body, and is put down for diaper changes, long naps, or when the caregiver needs more freedom of movement.
Below are four reasons to wear your baby:    Less crying. A scientific study of almost 100 mom-baby pairs found that babies who spent more time in carriers cried 43% less than babies who spent more time out-of-arms,    More learning. While the caregiver is bustling about, the baby is busy absorbing and learning from his ever-changing environment. The baby sees, hears, and smells the world, and experiences the caregiver's reactions to it. All this stimulation helps the brain develop.    More comforting. The heartbeat, motion, breathing rhythms, and voice of the caregiver all remind baby of life inside the womb.    Stronger attachment. In an experimental study at Columbia University, more babies who were worn by their mothers in soft baby carriers developed secure attachments to their mothers than babies who were carried in infant seats.
A baby carrier should be adjustable to the changing physical conditions of the baby. Most baby slings are outgrown by 3-9 months. A carrier should adjust to you and your baby's needs.
There are a variety of carriers on the market today. They fall into the following categories:    Structured front and back carriers;    Hip carriers;    Slings;    Wraps; and    Others
Structured front and back carriers such as the BabyBjorn™, allow the user to carry a child on the front or back of the user's torso in a vertical inward or outward facing position. Structured back carriers, such as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,591, allow the user to carry a child on the user's back in a vertical position facing the user's back. Some structured back carriers are essentially backpacks with compartment or seat in which the child is placed. They have straps that go over the user's shoulders.
There are numerous disadvantages to structured front and back carriers. First, the fabric is often hard canvas like, and bulky, which is not comfortable for the user or the child. It also makes it difficult to carry around or store. The bulky fabric also creates a wide area of fabric in between the child's legs. Studies have shown that during the early stages of children's development, when their joints are forming and developing, young children, especially those with low muscle tone, can be adversely affected by carriers that place their legs too far apart. Secondly, these types of carriers have limited positions, only vertical carrying positions. These are typically for toddlers or older children who can sit up unassisted and do not accommodate infants and young children. Third, the straps are not comfortable on the user's shoulders and/or back. And lastly, most structured carriers employ hardware such as snaps, buckles, zippers, clasps, or other plastic or metal connecting devices, which make putting a child in and out of the carrier complicated.
Hip carriers such as The Hiphugger™, U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,396, are typically made up of straps or material that fall over one of the user's shoulders, forming a sling-like pouch or seat for the child to sit in at the user's hip, with the child's weight on the user's hip, and the child's legs straddling both sides of the user's hip. Some hip carriers employ devices to adjust the length of the straps or material, and to adjust the width or tightness of the pouch-like seat. Some also include an additional strap, which encircles the users' waist.
Hip carriers have the following disadvantages. First, they only provide one seat-like position at the user's hip. It does not provide vertical inward or outward facing positions at the user's torso, which allow the child to snuggle against the user's body or to face outward at the front of the user's body. Secondly, they too, are for older children who can sit up unassisted; they are not suitable for infants. Third, hip carriers go over only one of the user's shoulders, with no kind of back support, placing the weight load solely on the user's shoulders, thereby resulting in neck and/or shoulder pain.
Sling carriers are typically a loop of fabric that falls across one's shoulder and under the opposite arm. Some slings are simply made by tying the ends of a long piece of fabric to form a loop. Others employ a device to attach the two ends of fabric together to form a loop. Some slings have the ends attached together for form a non-adjustable loop of fabric. Slings have the same disadvantages as the hip carriers in addition to insufficient security for infants or children. The child is merely cradled in one piece of fabric and can easily fall or slip out of the fabric, especially when user bends over. Older children can jump or push themselves out of the carrier.
Wraps are typically a long rectangular piece of fabric that is wrapped and tied around the user and the infant or child to create a variety of positions. There are also some wraps, such as The Ultimate Baby Carrier™, that employ rings, buckles, or other connecting device on one end to secure the ends in place rather than tying them in a knot. While wraps offer a variety of carrying positions, including cradle, semi-cradle, vertical front and back positions, and hip carry, they have the following disadvantages. First, wraps are difficult and complicated to put on and take off. Second, although wraps can be wrapped around the user to cross at the user's back, there is no device or means for easily adjusting the cross of the fabric up or down for optimal back support and comfort fit by the user.
Other carriers, which do not fall squarely into one of the above categories, include one described in Netherlands Pat. No. 1,006,025, the My Baby Nest Carrier™, the Loopi™ and the Baby K'tan™. All of these carriers are comprised of two loops of fabric either sewn through the other loop thereby intertwining the two loops, or simply comprised of two separate loops of fabric, which are left separate or held together by a connecting device. The My Baby Nest™, the Loopi™ and the Baby K'tan™ also have a separate sash that ties around the user and the child. These carriers have the following disadvantages. First, they are not adjustable for various sized users. Second, although the My Baby Nest Carrier™, the Loopi™ and the Baby K'tan™ include a sash, each are made too narrow and do not provide a sufficient amount of fabric to go securely around the child. They also provide little to no lower back support to the user.
Another carrier that falls into this category is the Close Baby Carrier™ from the UK. It is comprised of two pieces of fabric, which are sewn together in the back to form an X at the users back and front. It has two sets of rings on either side in which each end of fabric is fed through creating a small tail on each side that ties at the front of the waist. It then has a separate sash that ties around the user and the child and knots at the user's waist in the back. Although the Close Baby Carrier™ does adjust to different users, it has the same disadvantage of insufficient lower back support as the sash only ties at the users back instead of wrapping around the lower back and tying in the front. Also, the position of the X in the back and the rings on either side are not adjustable to the user's comfort and restricts the number of positions that can be used.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved carrier that is simple, effective, and adjustable to a wide-variety of users.